Guthrie, rotation & Hardy updates

Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie is dealing with some right shoulder soreness and will have his next start pushed until at least Tuesday, a measure the team hopes will alleviate some of the discomfort.

Right now, Guthrie — who has thrown a staff-leading 164 innings — will have his originally scheduled start on Saturday picked up by Tommy Hunter, who will go on regular rest given Thursday’s off day. Lefty Jo-Jo Reyes will start Friday’s opener and Sunday’s finale will be either Zach Britton or Brian Matusz, who would both be working on regular five days’ rest.

Britton, who has been on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation, threw five innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday night and is expected to rejoin the team in Anaheim. Matusz threw 6 2/3innings, allowing six earned runs, in Tuesday’s loss at Oakland and the assumption is whichever pitcher doesn’t throw Sunday will be slotted back to Monday’s series opener in Minnesota.

While the addition of Britton gives the Orioles a six-man rotation, the team will need an extra starter for next weekend’s home series against the Yankees, in which they will play five games in four days.

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J.J. Hardy was running at a considerably slower speed down to first base this afternoon, and he was removed for pinch-runner Blake Davis in the ninth inning. When asked about Hardy’s health –he has been sidelined recently with a left ankle issue — the shortstop downplayed any injury concerns.

“I don’t know about that,” Hardy said when asked if he was favoring his good ankle in his slow jog down the basepaths.

“I definitely believe that Blake is faster than I am. There’s nothing wrong with that. I think it was definitely the right play, the tying run. There’s a better chance that Blake scores than I do.”

Hardy said his ankle felt “fine” but acknowledged it would be good to rest it during Thursday’s off day. Manager Buck Showalter explained the switch by saying Hardy was a little “dead legged” and he admitted he contemplated giving the shortstop Sunday off.

“He’s probably not running as well as he normally does because [of his ankle]. And he won’t admit to it,” Showalter said.

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